Image sensor circuit and image sensor device

ABSTRACT

Provided is an image sensor circuit, including a pixel array and a plurality of different control circuits. The pixel array comprises a plurality of pixel circuit groups arranged in an array. Each pixel circuit group comprises a plurality of pixel circuits that generate corresponding sensitivity values over exposure duration. The pixel circuits include a first quantity of first pixel circuits, and a second quantity of second pixel circuits. The plurality of different control circuits are respectively coupled to different pixel circuits to control the exposure duration thereof with different transmission signals. The different control circuits are also set to control different pixel circuits to output photo-sensed values at different frame rates. The image sensor circuit periodically generates the pixel value of each pixel circuit group according to first and second exposure durations, first and second frame rates, and first and second light sensitivity values of each pixel circuit group.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

This application claims the priority of U.S. patent application No.63/345,920, filed on May 26, 2022, which is incorporated herewith byreference.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to an image sensor, particularly to animage sensor device that can simultaneously detect motions and recordimage video.

2. The Prior Arts

Image sensors are widely used in various fields such as car recorders,surveillance cameras, and digital cameras. The purposes of image sensingcan be divided into two main categories: acquiring and recording imagedata and monitoring real-time motion changes in the image. Differentsensing conditions are required for different image sensing purposes.For example, when the purpose of image sensing is to record the image,users usually want to record high-quality and clear full-color images.On the other hand, when the purpose of image sensing is only to monitorwhether there are dynamic changes in the image, there is a higherrequirement for the sensitivity of object motion changes and a lowerrequirement for color information. For example, dynamic vision sensors(DVS) have been widely used in various technical fields, such asautonomous driving technology. However, traditional motion detection andimage recording are usually implemented by separate sets of sensors orreadout circuits, which require double the hardware cost and circuitcomplexity. Therefore, a technology development for simultaneouslyachieving both image sensing technologies at a lower hardware cost is achallenge that needs to be addressed.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

In view of the, the present invention proposes an implementation of animage sensor circuit that can perform both motion detection and imagerecording functions. The image sensor circuit of the present inventioncomprises at least one pixel array and a driver circuit. The pixel arrayis configured to sense light and generate image data, comprising aplurality of pixel circuit groups arranged in an array. Each of thepixel circuit groups comprises multiple pixel circuits that areconfigured to generate corresponding photo-sensed values according tothe exposure duration. The pixel circuits comprise a first quantity offirst pixel circuits and a second quantity of second pixel circuits. Thedriver circuit is coupled to the pixel circuit groups and is used todrive the pixel circuit groups, comprising a first control circuit and asecond control circuit. The first control circuit is coupled to thefirst pixel circuits, transmitting a first transmission signal tocontrol a first exposure duration of the first pixel circuits. Thesecond control circuit is coupled to the second pixel circuits,transmitting a second transmission signal to control a second exposureduration of the second pixel circuits. The first control circuit is alsoconfigured to control the first pixel circuits to output a firstphoto-sensed value at a first frame rate. The second control circuit isalso configured to control the second pixel circuits to output a secondphoto-sensed value at a second frame rate, which can be higher thantwice the first frame rate. However, the present invention is notlimited to the. The image sensor circuit periodically generates pixelvalues of each pixel circuit group based on the first exposure duration,the second exposure duration, the first frame rate, the second framerate, the first photo-sensed value, and the second photo-sensed value ofeach pixel circuit group.

When the image sensor circuit generates the pixel values for each of thepixel circuit groups, a plurality of photo-sensed values generated bythe first pixel circuits are multiplied with corresponding weightcoefficients to be summed up into the first photo-sensed value. Theplurality of photo-sensed values generated by the second pixel circuitare also multiplied by corresponding specific weight coefficients andsummed up to obtain the second photo-sensed value.

The image sensor circuit of the present invention may further comprise areadout circuit. The readout circuit is coupled to each of the pixelcircuit groups and is configured to read the photo-sensed values fromeach of the pixel circuits. The first and second control circuits cancontrol the readout circuit in a time-division manner via a resetsignal, so that the readout circuit generates a readout signal based onthe photo-sensed values of each pixel circuit.

In a further embodiment, each of the pixel circuits in the pixel circuitgroup of the image sensor circuit comprises a photodiode and a switchcircuit. The photodiode is photosensitive and accumulates charge. Theswitch circuit is coupled to the photodiode PD and the floatingdiffusion node FD. The floating diffusion node FD is coupled to the rampcapacitor Cr and can change its conductivity under the control of thedriver circuit. When the first control circuit sends a firsttransmission signal to turn on the switch circuit in a first pixelcircuit and sends a reset signal to reset the switch circuit to a resetvoltage, the accumulated charges in a photodiode of the first pixelcircuit is reset. When the first control circuit sends the firsttransmission signal to turn on the switch circuit, but does not send thereset signal, the accumulated charges in the photodiode of the firstpixel circuit is coupled to the floating diffusion node.

In a further embodiment, the driver circuit further comprises a thirdcontrol circuit, coupled to the pixel circuit groups, and transmits athird transmission signal to expose a third quantity of third pixelcircuits in the pixel circuit groups for a third exposure duration. Thethird control circuit is also configured to control the third pixelcircuits to output a third photo-sensed value at a third frame rate. Theimage sensor circuit periodically generates corresponding pixel valuesfor each pixel circuit group based on the first photo-sensed value, thesecond photo-sensed value, and the third photo-sensed value using aspecific algorithm.

The present invention also provides an image sensor device for detectingmotion and capturing images. In addition to the image sensor circuitdescribed in the previous embodiment, the image sensor device alsocomprises multiple red filters, green filters, and blue filtersrespectively covering the first pixel circuits and the second pixelcircuits. An analog-to-digital converter is coupled to the image sensorcircuit and is set to convert the pixel values output from the firstpixel circuits to a first digital signal at a first frame rate, and toconvert the pixel values output from the second pixel circuits to amotion sensing signal at a second frame rate. An image processor moduleis coupled to the analog-to-digital converter and is configured togenerate image data based on the first digital signal. A dynamic sensormodule is coupled to the analog-to-digital converter and is configuredto detect object movements based on the second digital signal.

In summary, the circuit architecture of the present invention has atleast the following advantages. The image sensor circuit comprises twocontrol circuits with different frame rates, so that different pixelcircuits in the same pixel circuit group can output data with differentframe rates. Therefore, the image sensor circuit of the presentinvention does not need to increase additional pixel circuit groups, butgenerates two types of data required for divergent functions using thesame pixel circuit group, while achieving the functions of recordinghigh-quality images and sensitive detection of motion.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The drawings shown herein are used to provide a further understanding ofthe present invention, forming part of the present invention, and theschematic embodiments of the present invention and its description areused to interpret the present invention and do not constitute animproper limitation of the present invention. In the drawings:

FIG. 1 shows an image sensor circuit architecture according to anembodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 shows an image sensor circuit according to an embodiment of thepresent invention.

FIG. 3 shows a schematic diagram of the operation timing of the imagesensor circuit according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 4 shows an image sensor circuit according to another embodiment ofthe present invention.

FIG. 5 shows an image sensor circuit according to another embodiment ofthe present invention.

FIG. 6 shows an image sensor circuit according to another embodiment ofthe present invention.

FIG. 7 shows an image sensor circuit according to another embodiment ofthe present invention.

FIG. 8 shows an image sensor circuit according to another embodiment ofthe present invention.

FIG. 9 shows an image sensor circuit according to another embodiment ofthe present invention.

FIG. 10 shows an image sensor device according to an embodiment of thepresent invention.

FIG. 11 shows an image sensing method according to an embodiment of thepresent invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

The following will be combined with the drawings in the embodiment ofthe present invention, the technical solution in the embodiment of thepresent invention is clearly and completely described, obviously, thedescribed embodiment is a part of the embodiment of the presentinvention, not all embodiments. Based on the embodiments in the presentinvention, all other embodiments obtained by ordinary knowledge of thetechnical field without performing creative labor are within the scopeof protection of the present invention.

FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram of the image sensor circuit architectureaccording to an embodiment of the present invention. The image sensorcircuit 100 of the present invention comprises at least one pixel array120 and a driver circuit 110. The pixel array 120 is configured to senselight and generate image data, comprising multiple pixel circuit groupsarranged in an array. Wherein, multiple distinct types of pixel circuitgroups, such as the first pixel circuit group 121, the second pixelcircuit group 122, the third pixel circuit group 123, and the fourthpixel circuit group 124, can be arranged in the form of a Bayer pixelarray, each used to sense red, green, green, and blue. It should beunderstood that for the sake of illustration, FIG. 1 only shows onefirst pixel circuit group 121, one second pixel circuit group 122, onethird pixel circuit group 123, and one fourth pixel circuit group 124.In practice, the pixel array 120 can comprise multiple first pixelcircuit groups 121, multiple second pixel circuit groups 122, multiplethird pixel circuit groups 123, and multiple fourth pixel circuit groups124. On the other hand, the arrangement of each color pixel circuitgroup within a pixel circuit group is not limited to the order shown inFIG. 1 . In one embodiment, the output of distinct types of pixelcircuit groups can be read out by a differential signal to increase thesensitivity and reduce noise of image sensing. For example, the firstpixel circuit group 121 and the second pixel circuit group 122 can serveas one end of the differential readout circuit, such as the P-side,while the third pixel circuit group 123 and the fourth pixel circuitgroup 124 can serve as the other end of the differential readoutcircuit, such as the N-side. The output values of the pixel circuitgroups can be processed through subsequent processing (not shown) toobtain the image data.

As shown in FIG. 1 , each of the pixel circuit groups contains aplurality of pixel circuits that are designed to generate correspondinglight sensitivity values varied with exposure durations. For example,the first pixel circuit group 121 comprises a first quantity of firstred pixel circuits Rs and a second quantity of second red pixel circuitsRd. Similarly, the second pixel circuit group 122, the third pixelcircuit group 123, and the fourth pixel circuit group 124 alsocorrespondingly comprise first green pixel circuits Gs, second greenpixel circuits Gd, first blue pixel circuits Bs, and second blue pixelcircuits Bd, operated analogously. Therefore, for the sake of clarity,the following embodiment only describes the first pixel circuit group121 as an example.

The driver circuit 110 is coupled to the pixel array 120 for driving thepixel circuit group, and includes at least a first control circuit 112and a second control circuit 114. In the embodiment, the driver circuit110 can be a chip for controlling the pixel array 120, including but notlimited to concepts such as timing control, row driver, and columndriver. The followings describe the controlling of the exposure durationand the output frame rate.

To consider the sensitivity of motion detection and the image quality ofstatic scenes, the present embodiment of the invention allows the pixelarray 120 to simultaneously generate image data with multiple exposurevalues. For example, the first control circuit 112 in the driver circuit110 is coupled to the first quantity of first red pixel circuits Rs, andsends a first transmission signal TX1 to control a first exposureduration of each first red pixel circuit Rs. The second control circuit114 is coupled to the second quantity of second red pixel circuits Rdand sends a second transmission signal TX2 to control a second exposureduration of the second red pixel circuits Rd. Since different pixelcircuits in the pixel array 120 have different exposure durations, thespeed of outputting image data is also varied. Typically, detection ofdynamic scenes requires a higher frame rate, while recording staticscenes does not require high frame rates but a higher signal-to-noiseratio (SNR). Therefore, in the embodiment, the first control circuit 112can control the first red pixel circuit Rs to output a firstphoto-sensed value at a first frame rate, while the second controlcircuit 114 can control the second red pixel circuits Rd to output asecond photo-sensed value at a second frame rate. The second frame rateis higher than the first frame rate. It should be noted that the firstcontrol circuit 112 and the second control circuit 114 may each have afirst address decoder and a second address decoder, respectively, torespectively generate asynchronous first frame rate and second framerate. Also, it should be noted that since the first transmission signalTX1 and the second transmission signal TX2 are controlled by the firstcontrol circuit 112 and the second control circuit 114, respectively,the first exposure duration can be longer than the period of a frameoperated at the second frame rate. For example, the driver circuit 110can control the pixel array 120 to detect dynamic image changes at aspeed of 30 frames per second, but at the same time, it can record firstdigital data at a speed of 1 frame per second. After the first framedata and the second frame data are stored in a frame buffer, theappropriate algorithm can be used to fuse the first frame data and thesecond frame data to obtain a high SNR image at a speed of 30 frames persecond.

In one embodiment, the sum of the first quantity and the second quantityis 4. The first quantity can be 3, and the second quantity can be 1. Inanother embodiment, the first quantity can be 2, and the second quantitycan also be 2. In further derivative embodiments, the sum of the firstquantity and the second quantity is not limited to 4, and can be 9 orhigher. Therefore, the ratio of the first quantity and the secondquantity can be changed as needed in implementation. For example, theratio of the first quantity and the second quantity can be M:N, where Mand N are integers.

The final image data can be generated from the photo-sensed valuesoutput from the red first pixel circuit Rs and the red second pixelcircuit Rd through appropriate algorithms. For example, the image sensorcircuit 100 multiplies the photo-sensed values of the first red pixelcircuit Rs and the second red pixel circuits Rd by different gainvalues, and then adds them up to generate corresponding pixel values.The pixel values of distinct colors can be properly blended to determinethe final image data, such as adjusting the balance ratio of the threecolors according to the white balance algorithm. In other words, eachpixel circuit can correspond to different specific weightingcoefficients. The photo-sensed values of multiple different pixelcircuits are multiplied by the corresponding specific weightingcoefficients and then added up to generate corresponding pixel values.However, the present invention is not limited to the.

In other words, the pixel array 120 in the embodiment is designed toinclude multiple distinct types of pixel circuit groups. Each pixelcircuit in the pixel circuit group can be equipped with different typesof filters (not shown) to sense corresponding types of light, thusproducing the first pixel circuit group 121, the second pixel circuitgroup 122, the third pixel circuit group 123, and the fourth pixelcircuit group 124. Generally, the image data can be processed to becomea video file with a frame rate of 30 frames per second (FPS). Theembodiment is adaptable for low-light motion monitoring. Toi improve theimage quality of low-light motion detection, the second control circuit114 can record dynamic images to avoid motion blur, and the firstcontrol circuit 112 can lengthen the exposure duration of some pixelcircuits in the pixel array 120, reduce the gain value, and lower theframe rate to significantly increase the signal-to-noise (SNR) ratio. Byproperly fusing the image data of the first and second frames usingappropriate algorithms, an image with high SNR ratio and no motion blurcan be obtained.

FIG. 2 shows an image sensor circuit according to an embodiment of thepresent invention. Four pixel circuits 212 are illustrated in theembodiment of FIG. 2 , which are used to sense light and generatesignals. The image sensor circuit 100 further includes a readout circuit250, which is coupled to the output ends of each pixel circuit 212. Thereadout circuit 250 is controlled by a reset signal RST and operatesaccording to a specific timing to read the values output from thecorresponding pixel circuit. For example, in the embodiment, the pixelcircuit group 210 can be configured to use three pixel circuits 212 tosense static images and one pixel circuit 212 to sense dynamic images.As shown in FIG. 2 , the first control circuit 112 sends a firsttransmission signal TX1 to control the three pixel circuits 212 in thepixel circuit group 210 to output the first output data at the firstframe rate, and the second control circuit 114 controls the fourth pixelcircuit 212 to output the second output data at the second frame rate.The first transmission signal TX1 sent by the first control circuit 112and the second transmission signal TX2 sent by the second controlcircuit 114 can control the exposure output timing and reset timing ofthe corresponding pixel circuit 212. It should be noted that FIG. 2 onlyillustrates one readout circuit 250 shared by multiple pixel circuits212, which is particularly adaptable for pixel binning mode operationsand can obtain lower noise and higher SNR, making it adaptable for imagesensing in low light conditions. Furthermore, although FIG. 2 onlyillustrates one readout circuit 250 shared by multiple pixel circuits212, it is not limited to the in practice. For example, the image sensorcircuit 200 may also set up corresponding readout circuits 250 fordistinct types of pixel circuits 212 to simplify the timing arrangementfor reading output values.

The embodiment of FIG. 2 is adaptable for operation with a rollingshutter. The scan signal #S scans each row of pixel array 120 in turn.Only the pixel circuit group in the row opened by the scan signal #Swill perform the data readout operation at the same time. The structureof the rolling shutter belongs to the known art, and therefore the basicintroduction is omitted.

In the embodiment of FIG. 2 , the readout circuit 250 includes a rampcapacitor Cr. The first end of the ramp capacitor Cr is coupled to theoutput terminal of each pixel circuit 212 in the pixel circuit group210, where it can receive and store the output data of the pixel circuit212 at the corresponding timing. The second end of the ramp capacitor Cris connected to a ramp voltage Vr. When the readout circuit 250 iscontrolled by a scan signal #S, the ramp capacitor Cr can be coupled tothe ramp voltage to convert the potential stored in the floatingdiffusion node FD into a readout signal OUT according to a specifictiming. The readout circuit 250 may include an input switch Mi and anoutput switch Mo. When the input switch Mi is turned on and the scansignal #S opens the output switch Mo, the readout circuit 250 reads outthe signal OUT from the drain of the output switch Mo. On the otherhand, the floating diffusion node FD is also reset by a reset signalRST. For example, the readout circuit 250 is coupled to a reset voltageVrst through a reset switch Mr. When the reset signal RST is connectedto the switch, the potential value on the floating diffusion node FD ispulled to the reset voltage Vrst. Therefore, the reset signal RST,together with the first transmission signal TX1 and the secondtransmission signal TX2 output by the first control circuit 112 and thesecond control circuit 114, respectively, allows the readout circuit 250to sequentially read out the photo-sensed values output by each pixelcircuit 212 in an orderly manner. The design of the readout circuit 250can vary with actual product development. The reset voltage Vrst can be0V or a voltage with diverse levels. The ramp voltage Vr can be anupward continuous changing voltage or a downward continuous changingvoltage. The embodiment of the present invention is not limited to thatshown in FIG. 2 .

In FIG. 2 , the first control circuit 112 and second control circuit 114control the timing of the first transmission signal TX1, the secondtransmission signal TX2, and the reset signal RST to convert thephoto-sensed values output by each pixel circuit 212 to a readout signalOUT in a specific timing sequence. In the implementation of FIG. 2 , thepixel circuit group 210 can be used to represent any of the first pixelcircuit group 121, the second pixel circuit group 122, the third pixelcircuit group 123, or the fourth pixel circuit group 124 in FIG. 1 .Each pixel circuit 212 includes at least one photodiode PD and a switchcircuit M1. One end of the photodiode PD is coupled to the ground, andthe other end is coupled to the switch circuit M1, which can accumulatecharge by photo sensing. The switch circuit M1 can be a commontransistor or semiconductor, with a source and drain that arerespectively coupled to the photodiode PD and floating diffusion nodeFD. The gate of the switch circuit M1 is coupled to the first controlcircuit 112 or second control circuit 114 and is controlled to beconductive. When the switch circuit M1 is conductive, it can function asa signal transmitter.

Taking the operation of the first control circuit 112 as an example, thefollowing describes an implementation of the signal operation when thephotodiode PD in the pixel circuit 212 is reset. When the first controlcircuit 112 sends the first transmission signal TX1 to turn on theswitch circuit M1 and sends a reset signal RST to turn on the resetswitch Mr, the switch circuit M1 is turned on to a reset voltage Vrst,causing the accumulated charge in the photodiode PD to be reset to thereset voltage Vrst. It can be understood that the reset voltage Vrst canbe a voltage level, which can be a zero or high voltage signal dependingon the implementation. The second control circuit 114 also controls thepixel circuit 212 through the second transmission signal TX2 in ananalogous way and will not be repeated here.

The following is an example of the signal operation when the photodiodePD is read out, using the operation of the first control circuit 112 asan example. When the first control circuit 112 sends the firsttransmission signal TX1 to turn on the switching circuit M1, but thereset switch Mr is not turned on by the reset signal RST, theaccumulated charge in the photodiode PD generates a photo-sensed value,which is stored in the floating diffusion node FD. When the readoutcircuit 250 is triggered by the scan signal #S, the readout circuit 250outputs the photo-sensed value stored in the floating diffusion node FDthrough the input switch Mi and the output switch Mo as the readoutsignal OUT. In one embodiment, the photo-sensed values sensed bymultiple pixel circuits 212 can be read out by the readout circuit 250simultaneously through the control of the first transmission signal TX1,for example in the pixel binning mode. The readout signal OUT will beused for subsequent image-related signal processing, the details ofwhich are mainly based on conventional techniques and will not bedescribed in detail in the embodiment. The operation of the secondcontrol circuit 114 to control the pixel circuit 212 through the secondtransmission signal TX2 is also the same and will not be repeated here.

In summary, in the present embodiment, the first control circuit 112 andthe second control circuit 114 can utilize the timing of manipulatingthe first transmission signal TX1 and the second transmission signalTX2, as well as the timing of the reset signal RST, to output data atdifferent frame rates without significantly increasing the hardware ofthe pixel array 120, and to adapt to at least two different image uses.It can be understood that the aforementioned switch circuit M1, inputswitch Mi, output switch Mo, and reset switch Mr can be implemented bydistinct types of transistors. The present embodiment does not limitspecific implementation methods.

In the embodiment, the three pixel circuits 212 controlled by the firsttransmission signal TX1 of the first control circuit 112 perform thesame functions as the first red pixel circuit Rs, the first green pixelcircuit Gs, or the first blue pixel circuit Bs shown in FIG. 1 , and areused to specifically sense static images. Conversely, the pixel circuit212 controlled by the second transmission signal TX2 of the secondcontrol circuit 114 performs the same functions as the second red pixelcircuit Rd, the second green pixel circuit Gd, or the second blue pixelcircuit Bd shown in FIG. 1 , and is used to specifically sense dynamicimages. The first control circuit 112 and the second control circuit 114alternatively employ the two transmission signals, the scanning signal#S, and reset signal RST described in FIG. 2 to control the data sensedby each pixel circuit to be output as a readout signal OUT to thesubsequent processing unit through the conversion of the readout circuit250. That is, the first control circuit 112 and the second controlcircuit 114 can co-work in a time-divisional manner. The signaloperation timing of the image sensor circuit 200 is illustrated in FIG.3 below.

FIG. 3 is a timing diagram illustrating the operation of the sensorcircuit according to an embodiment of the present invention. Thehorizontal axis represents time t. The four pixel circuits 212 in thepixel circuit group 210 of FIG. 2 are defined as two types of functionsbased on the different transmission signals received, hereafter referredas a static pixel circuit and a dynamic pixel circuit. The time at whichthe static pixel circuit is reset is represented by SRST, and the timeat which the dynamic pixel circuit is reset is represented by DRST. Thetime at which the static pixel circuit is read out is represented bySOUT, and the time at which the dynamic pixel circuit is read out isrepresented by DOUT. The exposure duration for each pixel circuit can becalculated from the end of the reset to the readout time. Therefore, theexposure durations for the static and dynamic pixel circuits arerepresented by Tes and Ted, respectively. From FIG. 3 , it can be seenthat the exposure duration for the dynamic pixel circuit Ted is set tobe shorter, and the output frame rate is higher. Within one exposureduration Tes of the static pixel circuit, the dynamic pixel circuit canperform multiple short exposures and output the accumulated charge. Theratio of the frame rates of the two types of pixel circuits can be anyratio depending on the implementation requirements, such as M:N, where Mand N are integers.

In another embodiment, the static pixel circuit and dynamic pixelcircuit in the pixel circuit group 210 of the present invention may havedifferent exposure durations, but the data therefrom can be read outsimultaneously.

In another derivative embodiment, the exposure duration of the staticpixel circuit in the pixel set may be longer than a frame length in thedynamic pixel circuit.

FIG. 4 shows a schematic diagram of the sensor circuit structureaccording to another embodiment in the present invention. The imagesensor circuit 400 in FIG. 4 can be a derivative of the image sensorcircuit 100 in FIG. 1 . The driver circuit 110 is replaced by a drivercircuit 410, which provides four independent control circuits, namely,the first control circuit 411, the second control circuit 412, the thirdcontrol circuit 413, and the fourth control circuit 414. Each controlcircuit is used to control different pixel circuits in each pixelcircuit group in the pixel array 120, respectively, by using the firsttransmission signal TX1, the second transmission signal TX2, the thirdtransmission signal TX3, and the fourth transmission signal TX4.Therefore, the pixel circuits in the pixel array 120 can be set formultiple exposure settings in different ranges, which is conducive tofurther achieving High Dynamic Range (HDR) image sensing technology.

In FIG. 4 , the image sensor circuit 400 is another embodiment derivedfrom the image sensor circuit 100 in FIG. 1 . In the embodiment, thedriver circuit 110 is replaced by the driver circuit 410, which providesfour independent control circuits: the first control circuit 411, thesecond control circuit 412, the third control circuit 413, and thefourth control circuit 414, each controlling different pixel circuits ineach pixel circuit group in the pixel array 120 via the firsttransmission signal TX1, the second transmission signal TX2, the thirdtransmission signal TX3, and the fourth transmission signal TX4,respectively. Therefore, the pixel circuits in the pixel array 120 canbe set to be applicable to multiple exposure settings for achieving highdynamic range (HDR) image sensing technology. In particular, the pixelcircuits coupled to the first control circuit 411 are represented by R1,G1, and B1, and the corresponding numbers of pixel circuits coupled tothe second, third, and fourth control circuits, represented by R2, G2,B2, R3, G3, B3, R4, G4, and B4, respectively, in the first pixel circuitgroup 421. The number of pixel circuits in the other pixel circuitgroups, namely, the second pixel circuit group 422, the third pixelcircuit group 423, and the fourth pixel circuit group 424, is similar tothat in the first pixel circuit group 421, and is not described againhere.

Taking the first pixel circuit group 421 as an example, the firstcontrol circuit 411 is coupled to the corresponding pixel circuit Rs,and a first transmission signal TX1 is transmitted to control the firstexposure duration of the pixel circuit Rs. The second control circuit412 is coupled to the pixel circuit R2 and a second transmission signalTX2 is transmitted to control the second exposure duration of the pixelcircuit R2. The third control circuit 413 is coupled to the pixelcircuit R3, and a third transmission signal TX3 is transmitted tocontrol the third exposure duration of the pixel circuit R3. The fourthcontrol circuit 414 is coupled to the pixel circuit R4 and a fourthtransmission signal TX4 is transmitted to control the fourth exposureduration of the pixel circuit R4. The control methods for correspondingpixel circuits in the second pixel circuit group 422, the third pixelcircuit group 423, and the fourth pixel circuit group 424 are generallythe same as those in the first pixel circuit group 421 and will not berepeated herein.

In control of the output frame rate, the embodiment of FIG. 4 canproduce image signals with four different frame rates from a pixel array420. The first control circuit 411 can also control the pixel circuitsR1, G1, B1 to output a first photo-sensed value at a first frame rate;the second control circuit 412 can also control the pixel circuits R2,G2, B2 to output a second photo-sensed value at a second frame rate; thethird control circuit 413 can also control the pixel circuits R3, G3, B3to output a third photo-sensed value at a third frame rate; and thefourth control circuit 414 can also control the pixel circuits R4, G4,B4 to output a fourth photo-sensed value at a fourth frame rate. Theimage sensor circuit 400 of the embodiment can periodically fuse thefirst photo-sensed value, the second photo-sensed value, the thirdphoto-sensed value, and the fourth photo-sensed value output from eachpixel circuit group using a specific algorithm to generate correspondingpixel values.

FIG. 5 shows an image sensor circuit 500 according to a specificimplementation of the present invention, based on the implementation ofFIG. 4 . The circuit structure of the pixel circuit group 210, the pixelcircuit 212, and the readout circuit 250 is similar to that of theimplementation example in FIG. 2 . The pixel circuit group 210 isfunctionally equivalent to one of the first pixel circuit group 421, thesecond pixel circuit group 422, the third pixel circuit group 423, orthe fourth pixel circuit group 424 in the pixel array 420 of FIG. 4 .For example, the first quantity, second quantity, third quantity, andfourth quantity in the pixel array 420 of FIG. 4 can be set to a minimumof 1 to form the pixel circuit group 210 in FIG. 5 . The pixel circuit212 coupled with the first control circuit 411 is equivalent to a red,green, or blue pixel circuit R1, G1, or B1. The pixel circuit 212coupled with the second control circuit 412 is equivalent to a red,green, or blue pixel circuit R2, G2, or B2. The pixel circuit 212coupled with the third control circuit 413 is equivalent to a red,green, or blue pixel circuit R3, G3, or B3. The pixel circuit 212coupled with the fourth control circuit 414 is equivalent to a red pixelcircuit R4, green pixel circuit G4, or blue pixel circuit B4.

From the design of FIG. 5 , it can be seen that the pixel circuit in apixel circuit group 210 is controlled by four independent signals, whichdistinguish the pixel circuits into four distinct functions. Byappropriately designing the control circuit, the exposure duration andoutput frame rate of these pixel circuits can correspond to variouslevels, so that the image sensor circuit 500 can achieve a balance inaspects such as image quality improvement, motion detection sensitivity,and dynamic range. It should be understood that although FIG. 5 onlyshows one readout circuit 250 shared by multiple pixel circuits 212,this is not limited in implementation. For example, the image sensorcircuit 500 can also set corresponding readout circuits 250 for distincttypes of pixel circuits 212 to simplify the timing arrangement foroutput value reading.

FIG. 6 is another embodiment of the image sensor circuit. The imagesensor circuit 600 in FIG. 6 is similar to the embodiment in FIG. 1 ,and includes at least one driver circuit 610 and one pixel array 620.The pixel array 620 contains at least three distinct colors of pixelcircuit groups. For the sake of illustration, FIG. 6 only shows thefirst pixel array 621 used for sensing red. For example, each firstpixel array 621 in the pixel array 620 can include a first quantity ofpixel circuits R1, a second quantity of pixel circuits R2, and a thirdquantity of pixel circuits R3. In the embodiment of FIG. 6 , the firstquantity is 1, the second quantity is 2, and the third quantity is 1.The pixel circuit R1 is controlled by the first transmission signal TX1of the first control circuit 611, the pixel circuit R2 is controlled bythe second transmission signal TX2 of the second control circuit 612,and the pixel circuit R3 is controlled by the third transmission signalTX3 of the first control circuit 611.

From the design of FIG. 6 , it can be seen that a pixel circuit in apixel array 620 is controlled by three independent signals, whichdetermine three different pixel circuit functions. The firsttransmission signal TX1 and the third transmission signal TX3 areprovided by the first control circuit 611, while the second transmissionsignal TX2 is provided by the second control circuit 612. It should benoted that the first and third transmission signals are provided by thesame TX3 first control circuit 611, so they have the same frame rate.The second transmission signal TX2 is provided by the second controlcircuit 612, so it can have a different frame rate. The embodiment ofFIG. 6 is intended to illustrate that each control circuit can generatemultiple switching control signals for different pixel circuits,achieving an operation mode of the same frame rate but readout in atime-division manner. It can also generate a control signal for multiplepixel circuits to achieve a pixel merging mode. In some contexts, thedesign is particularly suitable. For example, the first transmissionsignal TX1 and the third transmission signal TX3 can have the same framerate but a specific shift relationship in time. In the way, when thepixel circuits R1 and R3 are respectively driven by the firsttransmission signal TX1 and the third transmission signal TX3, readouttiming conflicts can be avoided.

FIG. 7 shows another embodiment of the image sensor circuit. The imagesensor circuit 700 in FIG. 7 is similar to the embodiment shown in FIG.6 , and includes at least one driver circuit 710 and one pixel array720. For ease of explanation, FIG. 7 only shows the first pixel circuitgroup 721 used to sense the color red. For example, each first pixelcircuit group 721 in the pixel array 720 may include a first quantity ofpixel circuits R1, a second quantity of pixel circuits R2, a thirdquantity of pixel circuits R3, and a fourth quantity of pixel circuitsR4. In the embodiment of FIG. 7 , the first quantity is 1, the secondquantity is 1, the third quantity is 1, and the fourth quantity is 1.The pixel circuit R1 is controlled by the first transmission signal TX1of the first control circuit 711, the pixel circuit R2 is controlled bythe second transmission signal TX2 of the second control circuit 712,the pixel circuit R3 is controlled by the third transmission signal TX3of the first control circuit 711, and the pixel circuit R4 is controlledby the fourth transmission signal TX4 of the first control circuit 711.

From the design of FIG. 7 , it can be seen that the pixel circuit in thepixel array 720 is controlled by two control circuits and candistinguish four different pixel circuit types. Wherein, the firsttransmission signal TX1, the third transmission signal TX3, and thefourth transmission signal TX4 are provided by the first control circuit711, and the second transmission signal TX2 is provided by the secondcontrol circuit 712. What this embodiment intends to express is that thedriver circuit 710 can be designed to include multiple levels of controlcircuits. For example, the first control circuit 711 is a high-levelcontrol circuit that can generate multiple different transmissionsignals, while the second control circuit 712 is a simple controlcircuit that can only generate a single fixed transmission signal. Bydoing so, when designing a product, it can be flexibly configuredaccording to implementation requirements to improve functionalflexibility and reduce costs.

FIG. 8 shows an image sensor circuit 800 according to another embodimentof the present invention. The image sensor circuit 800 of FIG. 8 is afurther derivation of the embodiment of FIG. 7 , and includes at leastone driver circuit 810 and a pixel array 820. For ease of explanation,FIG. 8 only illustrates the first pixel circuit group 821 as an example.For example, each first pixel circuit group 821 in the pixel array 820may include a first quantity of pixel circuits R1, a second quantity ofpixel circuits R2, a third quantity of pixel circuits R3, and a fourthquantity of pixel circuits R4. In the embodiment of FIG. 8 , the firstquantity is 1, the second quantity is 1, the third quantity is 1, andthe fourth quantity is 1. The pixel circuit R1 is controlled by thefirst transmission signal TX1 of the first control circuit 811, thepixel circuit R2 is controlled by the second transmission signal TX2 ofthe second control circuit 812, the pixel circuit R3 is controlled bythe third transmission signal TX3 of the first control circuit 811, andthe pixel circuit R4 is controlled by the fourth transmission signal TX4of the second control circuit 812.

From the design of FIG. 8 , it can be seen that a pixel circuit in thepixel array 820 is controlled by two control circuits and can bedistinguished into four different functional pixel circuits.Specifically, the first transmission signal TX1 and the thirdtransmission signal TX3 are provided by the first control circuit 811,while the second transmission signal TX2 and the fourth transmissionsignal TX4 are provided by the second control circuit 812. Theembodiment aims to express that the driver circuit 810 can be designedas a collection of multiple multi-functional control circuits. Eachcontrol circuit can generate multiple different transmission signals,each controlling the corresponding number of pixel circuits. With suchdesign, the product can be flexibly configured according toimplementation needs to improve functionality and reduce costs.

FIG. 9 shows another embodiment of an image sensor circuit. The imagesensor circuit 900 includes at least a driver circuit 910 and a pixelarray 920, which is a further derivation of the embodiment shown in FIG.7 . For ease of explanation, FIG. 9 only shows the first pixel circuitgroup 921. For example, each first pixel circuit group 921 in the pixelarray 920 may include a first quantity of pixel circuits R1, a secondquantity of pixel circuits R2, a third quantity of pixel circuits R3,and a fourth quantity of pixel circuits R4. In the embodiment of FIG. 9, the first quantity is 1, the second quantity is 1, the third quantityis 1, and the fourth quantity is 1. In addition to the first controlcircuit 911 and the second control circuit 912, the driver circuit 910also includes a third control circuit 913. The pixel circuit R1 iscontrolled by the first transmission signal TX1 of the first controlcircuit 911, the pixel circuit R2 is controlled by the secondtransmission signal TX2 of the second control circuit 912, the pixelcircuit R3 is controlled by the third transmission signal TX3 of thethird control circuit 913, and the pixel circuit R4 is controlled by thefourth transmission signal TX4 of the first control circuit 911.

Based on the design of FIG. 9 , it can be seen that a pixel circuit in apixel array 920 is controlled by three control circuits, and fourdifferent types of pixel circuits can be determined. Specifically, thefirst transmission signal TX1 and the fourth transmission signal TX4 areprovided by the first control circuit 911, the second transmissionsignal TX2 is provided by the second control circuit 912, and the thirdtransmission signal TX3 is provided by the third control circuit 913. Itshould be noted that this embodiment has three control circuits, andtherefore can have three different frame rates. The embodiment isintended to express that the driver circuit 910 can be designed toinclude multiple levels of control circuits. For example, the firstcontrol circuit 911 is a high-level control circuit that can generatemultiple different transmission signals, while the second controlcircuit 912 and the third control circuit 913 are simple controlcircuits that can only generate a single fixed transmission signal. Bydoing so, the product design can be flexibly configured according toimplementation requirements to improve functionality and reduce costs.

FIG. 10 is a structural diagram of an image sensor device 1000 accordingto an embodiment of the present invention. The image sensor device 1000in FIG. 10 is derived from the image sensor circuit 100 of the previousembodiment and is adaptable for various applications that requiresimultaneous detection of motion and image capture or high dynamic rangeHDR, such as security monitors, car recorders, or electric vehicleautonomous driving systems. The image sensor device 1000 may include animage sensor circuit 1020, which may be designed based on theembodiments of the various image sensor circuits described earlier, andincludes a plurality of pixel circuit groups. Each of the pixel circuitgroups is covered with distinct types of filters, such as a red filter1022, a green filter 1024, and a blue filter 1026, for sensing thecorresponding visible light range. It can be understood that thewavelength ranges covered by the three primary color filters aredifferent from each other. The image sensor device 1000 may also includea plurality of address decoders, such as the first address decoder 1002and the second address decoder 1004, as the control circuit mentioned inthe previous embodiment. The image sensor device 1000 also includes anADC 1030 coupled to the image sensor circuit 1020. The original voltageor current signal sensed by the image sensor circuit 1020 is firsttransmitted to the ADC 1030. The ADC 1030 can convert the signal intodigital format and then transmit it to the digital signal processor 1040for processing. The digital signal processor 1040 can process staticimage recording and dynamic image sensing functions based on the firstand second frame rates, respectively, in conjunction with the firstaddress decoder 1002 and the second address decoder 1004. It can beunderstood that the first address decoder 1002 and the second addressdecoder 1004 provide functions equivalent to the control circuit of theembodiments in FIGS. 1 to 9 . The digital signal processor 1040 mayinclude a dynamic sensor module 1042 and an image processor module 1044,respectively responsible for distinct types of sensing functions. Thedynamic sensor module 1042 can quickly detect dynamic changes in thepicture based on the digital data output from the ADC 1030 at the secondframe rate. The image processor module 1044 can generate high-qualityvideo images that restore the on-site image quality and color by fusingdata of different frame rates based on the second frame rate output fromthe ADC 1030.

In the embodiment of FIG. 10 , the digital signal processor 1040includes a frame buffer 1046, which is used to temporarily store thedigital data output from the ADC 1030. For example, the frame buffer1046 stores multiple sensed signals. When the dynamic sensor module 1042performs motion detection, it reads the digital data of two or moreconsecutive frames from the context of the frame buffer 1046 to performdifferential comparison and determine the motion.

In the embodiment of FIG. 10 , the frame buffer 1046 in the digitalsignal processor 1040 can be used to store the previous image, which canbe used as a basis for comparison when the signal of the second imagecomes in. In general, the method for detecting motion in DVS is tosubtract the two consecutive frames, so the ADC 1030 can store thesignals of the first and second frames in the frame buffer 1046, andthen the motion sensor module 1042 reads the signals of the first andsecond frames from the frame buffer 1046 and performs subtraction todetect the dynamic changes.

When generating a video image, the image processor module 1044 reads thedigital data generated by the multiple pixel circuits corresponding to apixel from the frame buffer 1046, and performs a specific fusionalgorithm based on the parameters of each pixel circuit, such asexposure duration, gain value, or weighting coefficient, to fuse thedigital data into the image value of the pixel. Because the video imagegenerated by the image processor module 1044 is obtained by fusing theinformation of all pixel circuits, the spatial resolution is lossless,that is, the fused image has completed spatial resolution, so there isno problem of reduced image quality. In the embodiment of the presentinvention, the video signal with RGB format and the infrared motionsignal DVS(IR) are generated on the same chip, and the two signals canbe fused in the same chip.

In further embodiments, to enhance acquisition of infrared images by theimage sensor circuit 1020, the image sensor device 1000 may furtherinclude an LED driver circuit 1006, which is coupled to an infrared LED1008 for illuminating the target space or object. The actual design ofthe image sensor device 1000 can be flexible and may vary depending onthe application scenario. The description of FIG. 10 is provided forillustration purposes only and is not intended to be limiting.

FIG. 11 shows an operational example of the image sensor circuitaccording to the present invention. The operation of the control circuitin the image sensor circuits of FIGS. 1-10 can be summarized in thefollowing steps. In step 1102, the first control circuit controls thefirst pixel circuit to expose for the first exposure duration andgenerate the first sensed data. In step 1104, the first control circuitcontrols the readout circuit to generate the first output signal at thefirst frame rate based on the first sensed data. In step 1106, thesecond control circuit controls the second pixel circuit to expose forthe second exposure duration and generate the second sensed data. Instep 1108, the second control circuit controls the readout circuit togenerate the second output signal at the second frame rate based on thesecond sensed data. Finally, the image sensor circuit of the presentinvention can also fuse the signals into a final image using a specificalgorithm in step 1110. For example, the algorithm can multiply thefirst and second output signals by different gain values based on thefirst and second exposure durations and the first and second framerates, and then add them together to generate a composite value. Theoperation of the composite value can be flexibly adjusted based onimplementation requirements to optimize the output performance of eachimage pixel in various application scenarios.

In a further embodiment, the pixel circuit groups in the pixel array 120of FIG. 1 or the pixel array 1020 of FIG. 10 can be arranged in a GroupBayer Pattern.

In a further embodiment, the pixel circuit groups in the pixel array 120of FIG. 1 or the pixel array 1020 of FIG. 10 can be arranged using a 2×2shared floating diffusion node (2×2 share FD) configuration.

In a further embodiment, the first control circuit in FIG. 1 may includea first address decoder for controlling the first frame rate. The secondcontrol circuit 114 in FIG. 1 may include a second address decoder forcontrolling the second frame rate. The first frame rate and the secondframe rate may operate asynchronously. Other embodiments, such as thecontrollers in FIG. 2 and FIGS. 4-9 , may also be implementedanalogously.

It should be noted that herein the terms “comprising” and “including” orany other variations thereof are intended to cover non-exclusiveinclusions so that a process, method, article or device comprising aseries of elements comprises not only those elements, but also otherelements not expressly listed, or also comprises elements inherent insuch process, method, article or device. In the absence of furtherrestrictions, the statement “comprises a . . . ” does not exclude theexistence of other identical elements in the process, method, article ordevice comprising the element.

The embodiments of the present invention are described above incombination with the drawings, but the present invention is not limitedto the specific embodiments described above, the above specificembodiments are only illustrative, not restrictive, and the usualknowledge of the technical field is inspired by the present invention,and does not depart from the purpose of the present invention Under thescope of protection of the patent scope of the invention, many forms canbe made, all of which are within the protection of the application.

What is claimed is:
 1. An image sensor circuit, comprising: a pixelarray, configured to sense light and generate an image data, andcomprising a plurality of pixel circuit groups arranged in an array,wherein each of the pixel circuit groups comprises a plurality of pixelcircuits configured to generate corresponding photo-sensed values overexposure durations; wherein the plurality of pixel circuits areconfigured to comprise a first quantity of first pixel circuits and asecond quantity of second pixel circuits; and a driver circuit, coupledto the pixel array for driving the pixel array and comprising: a firstcontrol circuit, coupled to the first pixel circuits and configured totransmit a first transmission signal to control a first exposureduration of the first pixel circuits, and output a first photo-sensedvalue at a first frame rate; and a second control circuit, coupled tothe second pixel circuits and configured to transmit a secondtransmission signal to control a second exposure duration of the secondpixel circuits, and output a second photo-sensed value at a second framerate; wherein: the second frame rate is higher than the first framerate; and the image sensor circuit periodically generates pixel valuesof each pixel circuit group based on the first exposure duration, thesecond exposure duration, the first frame rate, the second frame rate,the first photo-sensed value, and the second photo-sensed value.
 2. Animage sensor circuit according to claim 1, wherein: when the imagesensor circuit generates pixel values of each pixel circuit group, theplurality of photo-sensed values generated by the first pixel circuitsare respectively multiplied by predetermined weight coefficients to beadded up to generate the first photo-sensed value, and the plurality ofphoto-sensed values generated by the second pixel circuits arerespectively multiplied by predetermined weight coefficients to be addedup to generate the second photo-sensed value.
 3. The image sensorcircuit according to claim 1, further comprising: a readout circuit,coupled to each of the pixel circuit groups, configured to readphoto-sensed values from each of the pixel circuits; wherein the firstcontrol circuit and the second control circuit are arranged toalternatively control the readout circuit through a reset signal,allowing the readout circuit to generate a readout signal based on thephoto-sensed values of the pixel circuits.
 4. The image sensor circuitaccording to claim 2, wherein: the readout circuit comprises a rampcapacitor, a first end of the ramp capacitor is coupled to each of thepixel circuits through a floating diffusion node, and a second end ofthe ramp capacitor is coupled to a ramp voltage; and the readout circuitis controlled by a scan signal to couple a signal from the ramp voltagethrough the ramp capacitor to the floating diffusion node in a specifictiming sequence, and converts a potential of the floating diffusion nodeinto the readout signal.
 5. The image sensor circuit according to claim3, wherein: each of the pixel circuits in the pixel array comprises: aphotodiode configured to accumulate charges in response to light; and aswitch circuit, coupled to the photodiode and the floating diffusionnode, and controllable by the driver circuit to change a conductivestate; wherein: when the first control circuit transmits a firsttransmission signal to turn on the switch circuit in the first pixelcircuits and transmits a reset signal to couple the switch circuit to areset voltage, the charges accumulated in the photodiodes in the firstpixel circuits are reset; and when the first control circuit transmitsthe first transmission signal to turn on the switch circuit but does nottransmit the reset signal, the charges accumulated in the photodiodes inthe first pixel circuits are stored to the floating diffusion node. 6.The image sensor circuit according to claim 1, wherein: the drivercircuit further comprises a third control circuit, coupled to the pixelcircuits, configured to transmit a third transmission signal to expose athird quantity of third pixel circuits in the pixel array for a thirdexposure duration; the third control circuit is also configured tocontrol the third pixel circuits to output a third photo-sensed value ata third frame rate; and the image sensor circuit periodically generatespixel values of each pixel circuit group based on the first exposureduration, the second exposure duration, the third exposure duration, thefirst frame rate, the second frame rate, the third frame rate, the firstphoto-sensed value, the second photo-sensed value, and the thirdphoto-sensed value of the pixel circuits in each pixel circuit group. 7.The image sensor circuit according to claim 1, wherein a plurality ofpixel circuit groups in the pixel array are arranged in a group Bayerarray.
 8. The image sensor circuit according to claim 1, wherein aplurality of pixel circuit groups in the pixel array are arranged in a2×2 shared floating diffusion manner.
 9. The image sensor circuitaccording to claim 1, wherein: the first control circuit comprises afirst address decoder for controlling the first frame rate; the secondcontrol circuit comprises a second address decoder for controlling thesecond frame rate; and the first frame rate and the second frame rateare asynchronized.
 10. The image sensor circuit according to claim 1,wherein the first exposure duration is greater than a duration of aframe operated in the second frame rate.
 11. An image sensor device formotion detection and image capture, comprising: an image sensor circuit,comprising: a pixel array, configured to sense light and generate animage data and comprising a plurality of pixel circuit groups arrangedin an array, wherein each of the pixel circuit groups comprises aplurality of pixel circuits configured to generate correspondingphoto-sensed values over exposure durations; wherein the plurality ofpixel circuits are configured to comprise a first quantity of firstpixel circuits, and a second quantity of second pixel circuits; and adriver circuit, coupled to the pixel array for driving the pixel arrayand comprising: a first control circuit, coupled to the first pixelcircuits and configured to transmit a first transmission signal tocontrol a first exposure duration of the first pixel circuits, andoutput a first photo-sensed value at a first frame rate; and a secondcontrol circuit, coupled to the second pixel circuits and configured totransmit a second transmission signal to control a second exposureduration of the second pixel circuits, and output a second photo-sensedvalue at a second frame rate; wherein: the second frame rate is higherthan the first frame rate; and the image sensor circuit periodicallygenerates pixel values of each pixel circuit group based on the firstexposure duration, the second exposure duration, the first frame rate,the second frame rate, the first photo-sensed value, and the secondphoto-sensed value; a plurality of red filters, green filters, and bluefilters respectively covering the first pixel circuits and the secondpixel circuits; an analog-to-digital converter coupled to the imagesensor circuit, capable of converting the pixel values output from thefirst pixel circuits into a first digital signal, and converting thepixel values output from the second pixel circuits into a second digitalsignal; an image processor module, coupled to the analog-to-digitalconverter, and capable of generating the image data based on the firstdigital signal; and a dynamic sensor module, coupled to theanalog-to-digital converter and capable of detecting object motionsbased on the second digital signal.
 12. The image sensor device asclaimed in claim 11, wherein the image sensor circuit further comprisesa frame buffer for buffering the first and second digital signals outputfrom the analog-to-digital converter.
 13. The image sensor deviceaccording to claim 11, further comprising: a readout circuit, coupled toeach of the pixel circuit groups, and configured to read thephoto-sensed values from each of the pixel circuits, wherein the firstcontrol circuit and the second control circuit are arranged toalternatively control the readout circuit through a reset signal,allowing the readout circuit to generate a readout signal based on thephoto-sensed values of the pixel circuits.
 14. The image sensor deviceaccording to claim 12, wherein: the readout circuit comprises a rampcapacitor, a first end of the ramp capacitor is coupled to each of thepixel circuits through a floating diffusion node, and a second end ofthe ramp capacitor is coupled to a ramp voltage; and the readout circuitis controlled by a scan signal to couple a signal from the ramp voltagethrough the ramp capacitor to the floating diffusion node in a specifictiming sequence, and converts a potential of the floating diffusion nodeinto the readout signal.
 15. The image sensor device according to claim13, wherein: each of the pixel circuits in the pixel array comprises: aphotodiode configured to accumulate charges in response to light; and aswitch circuit, coupled to the photodiode and the floating diffusionnode, and controllable by the driver circuit to change a conductivestate, wherein: when the first control circuit transmits a firsttransmission signal to turn on the switch circuit in the first pixelcircuits and transmits a reset signal to couple the switch circuit to areset voltage, the charges accumulated in the photodiodes in the firstpixel circuits are reset; and when the first control circuit transmitsthe first transmission signal to turn on the switch circuit but does nottransmit the reset signal, the charges accumulated in the photodiodes inthe first pixel circuits are stored to the floating diffusion node. 16.The image sensor device according to claim 11, wherein: the drivercircuit further comprises a third control circuit, coupled to the pixelcircuits and configured to transmit a third transmission signal toexpose a third quantity of third pixel circuits in the pixel array for athird exposure duration; the third control circuit is also configured tocontrol the third pixel circuits to output a third photo-sensed value ata third frame rate; and the image sensor circuit periodically generatespixel values of each pixel circuit group based on the first exposureduration, the second exposure duration, the third exposure duration, thefirst frame rate, the second frame rate, the third frame rate, the firstphoto-sensed value, the second photo-sensed value, and the thirdphoto-sensed value of the pixel circuits in each pixel circuit group.17. The image sensor device according to claim 11, wherein a pluralityof pixel circuit groups in the pixel array are arranged in a group Bayerarray.
 18. The image sensor device according to claim 11, wherein aplurality of pixel circuit groups in the pixel array are arranged in a2×2 shared floating diffusion manner.
 19. The image sensor deviceaccording to claim 11, wherein: the first control circuit comprises afirst address decoder for controlling the first frame rate; the secondcontrol circuit comprises a second address decoder for controlling thesecond frame rate; and the first frame rate and the second frame rateare asynchronized.
 20. The image sensor device according to claim 11,wherein the first exposure duration is greater than a duration of aframe operated in the second frame rate.